2 Wild 3-Team Trade Ideas That Land Michael Porter Jr. with the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are hoping to acquire a scoring wing before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, and their best chance at getting one might be working a three-team trade for Michael Porter Jr.

The Stein Line's Jake Fischer reported on Jan. 1 that the Brooklyn Nets have "not shown much interest in acquiring Jonathan Kuminga dating to last summer," so the Warriors have the challenge of finding a third team that a) wants Kuminga and b) has something they're willing to give up that the Nets want.

The Kings, Bulls, Mavericks, Pelicans, Trail Blazers, Wizards and Pacers have all been at least linked to Kuminga in the last couple of months. But some of those teams probably don't have anything the Nets would want, and some of them have players that are too valuable to give up to facilitate a Porter trade.

I came up with two trades that make sense for all parties.

Bulls Facilitate Porter Trade

Warriors Get: Michael Porter Jr., Dalen Terry
Bulls Get: Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Knicks' 2027 first-round pick (via Bulls)
Nets Get: Coby White, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, 2026 unprotected first-round pick (via Warriors), 2028 unprotected first-round pick (via Warriors)

Coby White is averaging 19.6 points and 4.8 assists over the last three years, and he's only 25 years old. The reason he might get traded in the next few weeks is his strange contract situation.

White is in the last year of his deal making $12.9 million. The Bulls would love to give him an extension, but the most they can legally offer him is approximately $89 million over four years, and he wants to make more than that.

He will be a free agent in a few months, and that's why the Bulls have to consider trading him so they don't risk losing him for nothing.

The Nets have lots of future cap space and a need at guard for a player like White. They would be gambling that after three months in Brooklyn, he'd choose them over other free-agent suitors.

The Bulls would have lots of minutes for Kuminga. Aside from Matas Buzelis, they don't have much young wing talent. They also get what will likely be a late 2027 first-round pick.

The prize of the trade for the Nets is the Warriors' 2028 first-round pick. That could be a high lottery pick. They also get a Golden State 2026 first that could be in the high teens.

Not to mention, they get 23-year-old three-and-D wing Moses Moody, who is on a cheap three-year contract.

Dalen Terry, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Buddy Hield are included to make the money work.

Pels Buy Low on Zion

Warriors Get: Michael Porter Jr., Jordan Hawkins
Nets Get: Zion Williamson, 2026 unprotected first-round pick (via Warriors), 2028 unprotected first-round pick (via Warriors)
Pelicans Get: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield

This trade is inspired by the Hawks getting no draft capital in return for Trae Young.

Trading Zion Williamson for no draft capital might seem equally outrageous, but the oft-injured power forward is making $42.2 million next season and $44.9 million in 2027-28. The Pelicans hit a home run with their selection of Derik Queen in the 2025 draft, and it doesn't seem like Williamson and Queen will ever be a good fit together.

Instead, they get younger with Kuminga and Moody, and only $3 million of Hield's contract is guaranteed next year. Even if Kuminga doesn't fit in New Orleans, the Pels can choose to decline his team option, creating lots of cap space in the offseason that they can use to get better-fitting pieces around Queen, Jeremiah Fears, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones and Yves Missi.

The Nets take on Williamson to see if they can rehabilitate his value just like they did with Porter. They have lots of cap space and virtually nothing to lose, as they are years away from contention.

There's a non-zero chance Williamson plays so well for them over the next year that they trade him at next year's trade deadline for another haul of picks.

Hawkins is routed to Golden State to make the money work.